Edward Everett Cox
Encyclopedia
Edward Everett Cox was an American newspaper
publisher
who started Blackford County
’s first daily newspaper in Hartford City, Indiana
. He is “considered one of the most influential forces in journalism
” in Blackford County, and was a strong supporter of the Democratic Party
. Serving as publisher
and sometimes as editor
of his newspaper, he also spent time as chairman of the eleventh congressional district, county
chairman of the Democratic Party, member of the school board, and postmaster
. His newspapers were a “voice” for the Democratic Party for nearly 40 years.
when the land was still a British colony
, and Edward Cox is a descendant of an American Revolutionary War
soldier
that served with South Carolina troops
. The Cox clan
from which Edward was descended was a group of Quakers
living in North Carolina
. During the Revolutionary War, Edward's great-great grandfather was part of a group known as the "Fighting Quakers", and was a friend of General Nathanael Greene
. Edward Cox’s grandfather, Aaron Cox, was an Ohio
farmer that moved to Hamilton County, Indiana
in 1850. In addition to his farm, Aaron Cox was a postmaster
and contractor
.
. Jabez was teaching school by the time he was 16 years old, and he began studying law shortly thereafter. He served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
, keeping a diary that was later published. After being admitted to the bar
, he began practicing law
during the late 1860s in Tipton, Indiana
, and many years later (1890 and 1896) was elected judge
of the Miami circuit court
. Jabez Cox had two brothers that would also become judges. One brother was Millard Fillmore
Cox, who was named after
the thirteenth President of the United States
. Millard Fillmore Cox became a Marion County
criminal court
judge in Indiana, and also wrote editorials for the Indianapolis Sentinal. Another brother, Charles E. Cox
, became an Indiana Supreme Court
justice in 1911.
. While it is not known for certain, Jabez probably named his son after Edward Everett
– the noted speaker, prominent politician, and former member of the Whig
political party. This seems especially probable since Millard Fillmore Cox had been named after the last President of the United States to be a member of the Whig Party. Ironically, the Cox family became strong supporters of the Democratic Party
as the Whig party became irrelevant in the 1850s.
In 1869, the family moved to Frankfort, Indiana
, and Jabez Cox became proprietor and editor of the Frankfort Crescent newspaper
. In February 1872, Jabez Cox sold his newspaper company and moved back to Tipton and resumed practicing law. Edward Cox attended the local schools until 1875 when the family moved to Kansas
. The move to a western climate
was an attempt to improve the failing health of Edward's mother. Continuing to practice law, Jabez Cox also became more active in politics, and lost a Kansas election for state attorney general
as a member of the Democratic Party
. Edward’s mother (Jennie Price Cox) continued to have poor health, and the family moved to Colorado
in 1879 because of her physical condition. She died in 1882 in Canon City, Colorado
. In 1883, the family returned to Indiana and settled in the city of Peru
, which is about 40 miles (64.4 km) north of the earlier Cox residence in Tipton. After high school in Peru, Edward Cox attended Purdue University
.
as a teacher (similar to his father’s first occupation) in the Peru area’s Miami County
school district. After three years, he resigned his position as an educator to start a career in journalism
, becoming a reporter for the local Miami County Sentinel newspaper
. The newspaper business was another occupation in which Edward's father had also been involved. Edward’s family continued its involvement in politics as Edward’s father, Jabez Cox, won a seat in the Indiana state legislature
in 1886. Edward Cox started Peru's Daily Herald newspaper in 1887, but it lasted only three months before it was suspended. Cox continued his journalism
career in Peru as a reporter until 1891, when he moved to Hartford City, Indiana
.
and editor
. The Telegram's printing facilities were located in the back room of a drugstore, with about 800 square feet (74.3 m²) of space. Initially, Cox used a Washington Hand Press
to produce his newspaper. The Washington Hand Press was roughly 70-year-old technology, and it took all day for him to print an edition, even with his newspaper's small circulation
. Other related equipment was also crude. This was also a significant year in Cox’s personal life, as he married Eldora “Dora” Sites in September.
In about one year, Cox replaced all of his printing equipment, and began using a cylinder press
, which was a more modern piece of equipment. After a total of three years of printing, he upgraded to a press powered by a steam engine
, and added other equipment that was the latest in newspaper technology
. His newspaper equipment was far more advanced than that typical of a city of Hartford City’s size. The advanced equipment enabled him to also operate a printing business. By 1894, the Telegram had about 1,200 subscribers. Hartford City's population ranged from 2,287 in 1890 to 5,912 in 1900, so 1,200 subscribers can be considered very successful. An advertisement
in an 1895 Hartford City directory
said the Telegram was Democratic and the leading newspaper of Blackford County. The paper was issued every Wednesday.
’s first daily newspaper, the Evening News (a.k.a. Hartford City Evening News). The first edition was published on February 5, 1894, and it was distributed free for the first week. Subscriptions were available with delivery to all parts of Hartford City for 10 cents per week. An advertisement in an 1895 city directory described the Evening News as non-political and possessing a “well equipped job office”.
In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan
began gaining political power within Hartford City, bringing intolerance toward the city’s Catholic
, black
, and Jewish citizens. Both local newspapers, the Hartford City News and the Times-Gazette, provided strong opposition to the Klan’s philosophy. Cox’s anti-Klan editorials irritated Klan organizer L. J. King enough that he referred to the Hartford City News as “that Catholic rag”. Ironically, Cox was not Catholic. During 1925, Indiana Klan
leader D. C. Stephenson
was convicted for the murder of Madge Oberholtzer
in a Noblesville, Indiana
, trial that received national attention. Cox's uncle, Charles E. Cox
was one of the prosecutors in the trial. Details of the case caused many Klan members to abandon the organization. By the end of 1926, the Ku Klux Klan lost its power locally and within the state. The Hartford City News continued its journalistic excellence, and became known as “one of the best and most influential daily papers in this section of the state.”
while visiting Edward’s uncle (Millard Fillmore Cox) in Indianapolis
. The family had two young daughters, aged five and seven years, at the time. Cox maintained a Hartford City residence on Jefferson Street, an easy walk to his newspaper business located on the same street, and raised his daughters for several years with the assistance of hired help. Cox remarried in 1901.
, made the news
himself when he married
twice in one week. His bride-to-be was Miss Nellie Victor Tozier, sister of news editor Albert E. Tozier. Although Nellie and Albert Tozier lived in Oregon, their politician
father (Charles T. Tozier
) was born in Indiana. Albert Tozier had been president of the National Editorial Association, and it was at the Association's meetings that the couple-to-be met. Thus, the couple-to-be had newspapers, politics, and Indiana in common. The wedding
was to be held in Portland, Oregon
, and Nellie Tozier was considered "one of Oregon's most popular young women." A few days before the wedding, the local county clerk died. Therefore, the couple's marriage license was issued by a deputy clerk. The wedding was held in the First Baptist Church of Portland, on November 18, 1901. Shortly after the wedding, the newlyweds began their journey east to Hartford City, Indiana
. A major portion of their trip was via a Northern Pacific
train to Chicago
. Mr. and Mrs. Cox traveled as far as Spokane
when they discovered that lawyers were debating the validity of all marriage licenses issued by the deputy clerk. An old Oregon law declared that only county clerks could issue marriage licenses, and this meant that the marriage licenses issued by the deputy clerk could be invalid. The couple continued their eastward journey, as most law experts believed their marriage license was legal. As the newly-wedded couple reached St. Paul
, they received a telegram
from the bride's mother that expressed concerns about the validity of their marriage. Adding to the complexity of the problem, Indiana
law required residency for 30 days before marriage, so a wedding in Indiana could not be performed in the near future. Therefore, the couple wed again, in Chicago
, in a ceremony performed by a judge. The bride's sister served as witness. The couple then had two marriage certificates, and they were the subject of news throughout the country. This marriage produced two sons and three daughters. Of Cox’s total of seven children, three daughters and both sons attended college.
P. J. Loney prepared plans for the brick building in 1895. Located at the corner of Jefferson and Franklin Streets, the building's layout was designed especially for the newspaper business. In final form, the building was a two-story, 40 by 120 feet (36.6 m) brick building with offices, an elevator
, a loading dock
, and an additional alley
way entrance. The current address of the building is 217 N. Jefferson Street. The “Cox Building” was used by three newspapers continuously into the 1960s: the Telegram, the Hartford City News, (originally known as the Evening News) and later the Hartford City News-Times. Offices were located in the front of the building (Jefferson Street), and a dock was located on the building’s Franklin Street side. The building could also be accessed from the alley
behind the building, and that passageway was partially covered to enable paper to remain dry during loading and unloading in wet weather.
In addition to the newspapers, Cox used his building for his printing business. Both enterprises were part of his company, Edward E. Cox Printer, Incorporated. The modern printing equipment enabled Cox to print color labels and wrappers made of glassine
and cellophane
. Printing products were shipped all over the United States.
The Cox building still stands today (2009) – over 100 years after its construction. The building is part of Hartford City’s Courthouse Square Historic District
. The photo herein displays the Cox Building from the Franklin Street dock side. The front (Jefferson Street) entrance is to the left in the photo. Hartford City’s two buildings that are part of the National Register of Historic Places
are located close by. The back of the First Presbyterian Church
is visible on the right side of the photo to the right of the alley, and the Blackford County Courthouse
steeple can be seen at the top of the photo to the left of the Cox Building’s smokestack
.
Although the Hartford City News-Times moved out of the Cox Building in the 1960s, the building has been used by other businesses. A large portion of the building was used in the 1970s by a company partly owned by one of Cox’s grandsons. The company was called Phylpat, Incorporated. Instead of printing on paper as Cox had, Phylpat (eventually renamed Cutting Inc.) was involved in cutting paper
to make small rolls of adding machine
paper. The paper cutting and winding operations were contained within the building, and there was room for inventories of raw materials and finished product. The process used to cut and roll (or wind) paper was patented by Phylpat and one of its engineers in 1976. In more recent years, the building has been used by a small furniture manufacturing company, and one of the offices has been used by an attorney.
. His views were typically expressed via editorial
s in his newspapers, and some editorials were reprinted by other publications. He was Blackford County’s Democratic County Chairman in 1902. In July, 1914, under the administration of President Woodrow Wilson
, Cox was appointed postmaster of Hartford City, and he was reappointed in 1919. (Edward’s grandfather, Aaron Cox, had also been a postmaster.) For eight years, Cox was the representative of the Eleventh Congressional District on the Indiana Democratic state committee. He was also president of the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association in 1927.
Mr. Cox always participated in community affairs and was a member of numerous local organization
s. He was one of the organizers of the local Kiwanis
Club, and served as its first president. He was a Free Mason
, a member of the Mystic Shrine, and a member of the Knights of Pythias
. He was also a Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks
' lodge.
In addition to civic organizations, Cox was a member of the local Chamber of Commerce
and one of its founders. He was a director
of the Citizens State Bank of Hartford City, and served three terms on the local school board. During World War I
, he was involved with patriotic activities such as the Thrift Savings Stamp campaign and the sale of government war bonds
. Mr. Cox was a strong follower
of local sports teams, and attended almost every home game of the local high school basketball
team. He was president of the Hartford City Gymnasium Holding Company that raised funds
to build a new gym
for the school. He was also one of the organizers and founders of the Blackford Golf
Club
.
(born in 1870), founder of Cox Enterprises
, governor
of Ohio, and Presidential candidate
, may note some similarities with Edward Everett Cox (born in 1867). Both started as schoolteachers and became involved with newspapers. Both were strong Democrats. Both had family connections with Ohio and were Episcopalians
named Cox
– suggesting they were related
. However, the two men do not appear to have a common American ancestor, as there are numerous branches of the Cox family that came to America. James Cox had an early-American ancestor that lived in New Jersey, while Edward Cox’s family at the time of the American Revolutionary War
lived in North Carolina. If the two men are related, the common ancestor lived more than 400 years ago, a distant connection at best. It is probable that they were merely two unrelated men who lived the American Dream
and took similar career
paths. One achieved on a much smaller scale than the other, but both met success.
suffered the night before. He had been ill for almost a week, but his illness had been kept quiet because it was thought he would recover. The town was surprised by a front page obituary
in the Hartford City News that covered most of the page. Cox was considered one of the community’s most well-known citizens, and had yet to reach retirement age at the time of his death. He was renowned not only within the community, but also state-wide in politics. An obituary printed in nearby Kokomo, Indiana
, described him as “prominent in Democratic state politics”. In addition to his numerous accomplishments, his Hartford City obituary also described the man. It said, “Mr. Cox was a man of energy and a tireless worker. Success crowned nearly each adventure, whether from a business or political angle and he was held in the highest regard and esteem by all who knew him. To his newspaper and his printing business, he devoted much of his time and was beloved and admired by each and everyone of his employees. There were few who were not aided by his hand and direction, and each in turn sought to give to him the best that was available.”
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
publisher
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
who started Blackford County
Blackford County, Indiana
Blackford County is located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. The county is named for Judge Isaac Blackford, who was the first speaker of the Indiana General Assembly and a long-time chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court. Created in 1838, Blackford County is divided...
’s first daily newspaper in Hartford City, Indiana
Hartford City, Indiana
Hartford City is a city in the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Blackford County. Located in the northeast central portion of the state, the small farming community experienced a 15-year “boom” beginning in the late 1880s...
. He is “considered one of the most influential forces in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
” in Blackford County, and was a strong supporter of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Serving as publisher
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
and sometimes as editor
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
of his newspaper, he also spent time as chairman of the eleventh congressional district, county
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
chairman of the Democratic Party, member of the school board, and postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
. His newspapers were a “voice” for the Democratic Party for nearly 40 years.
Identity and origins
The Cox family came to AmericaBritish colonization of the Americas
British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
when the land was still a British colony
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
, and Edward Cox is a descendant of an American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
soldier
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
that served with South Carolina troops
Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War was the central area of operations in North America in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the...
. The Cox clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
from which Edward was descended was a group of Quakers
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
living in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. During the Revolutionary War, Edward's great-great grandfather was part of a group known as the "Fighting Quakers", and was a friend of General Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
. Edward Cox’s grandfather, Aaron Cox, was an Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
farmer that moved to Hamilton County, Indiana
Hamilton County, Indiana
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 274,569. The county seat is Noblesville....
in 1850. In addition to his farm, Aaron Cox was a postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
and contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
.
Judge Cox
Edward Cox’s father, Jabez Thomas Cox, was four years old when the family moved to IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. Jabez was teaching school by the time he was 16 years old, and he began studying law shortly thereafter. He served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, keeping a diary that was later published. After being admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
, he began practicing law
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
during the late 1860s in Tipton, Indiana
Tipton, Indiana
Tipton is a city in and the county seat of Tipton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,106 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and many years later (1890 and 1896) was elected judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the Miami circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
. Jabez Cox had two brothers that would also become judges. One brother was Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
Cox, who was named after
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
the thirteenth President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Millard Fillmore Cox became a Marion County
Marion County, Indiana
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 903,393, making it the largest county in the state and 55th most populated county in the country, greater than the population of six states. The county seat is Indianapolis, the state capital and...
criminal court
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
judge in Indiana, and also wrote editorials for the Indianapolis Sentinal. Another brother, Charles E. Cox
Charles E. Cox
Charles E. Cox was an American lawyer and judge who became the 55th justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, serving from 1911 to 1917. Elected as a Democrat in the Fall of 1910, he was Chief Justice by the end of his six-year term...
, became an Indiana Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Indiana
The Supreme Court of Indiana is the state supreme court of Indiana. The court was established by Article Seven of the Indiana Constitution and is the highest judicial authority within Indiana...
justice in 1911.
Family
Jabez Cox married Jennie Price and fathered three children. His first child was named Edward Everett Cox, and Edward was born on December 29, 1867, in Tipton, IndianaTipton, Indiana
Tipton is a city in and the county seat of Tipton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,106 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. While it is not known for certain, Jabez probably named his son after Edward Everett
Edward Everett
Edward Everett was an American politician and educator from Massachusetts. Everett, a Whig, served as U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator, the 15th Governor of Massachusetts, Minister to Great Britain, and United States Secretary of State...
– the noted speaker, prominent politician, and former member of the Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
political party. This seems especially probable since Millard Fillmore Cox had been named after the last President of the United States to be a member of the Whig Party. Ironically, the Cox family became strong supporters of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
as the Whig party became irrelevant in the 1850s.
In 1869, the family moved to Frankfort, Indiana
Frankfort, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,662 people, 6,279 households, and 4,175 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,240.5 people per square mile . There were 6,682 housing units at an average density of 1,299.6 per square mile...
, and Jabez Cox became proprietor and editor of the Frankfort Crescent newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. In February 1872, Jabez Cox sold his newspaper company and moved back to Tipton and resumed practicing law. Edward Cox attended the local schools until 1875 when the family moved to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. The move to a western climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
was an attempt to improve the failing health of Edward's mother. Continuing to practice law, Jabez Cox also became more active in politics, and lost a Kansas election for state attorney general
State Attorney General
The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states and territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those...
as a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Edward’s mother (Jennie Price Cox) continued to have poor health, and the family moved to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in 1879 because of her physical condition. She died in 1882 in Canon City, Colorado
Cañon City, Colorado
The City of Cañon City is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Fremont County, State of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimated that the city population was 16,000 in 2005. Cañon City is noted for being the location of nine state and four ...
. In 1883, the family returned to Indiana and settled in the city of Peru
Peru, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,994 people, 5,410 households, and 3,397 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,815.5 people per square mile . There were 5,943 housing units at an average density of 1,287.7 per square mile...
, which is about 40 miles (64.4 km) north of the earlier Cox residence in Tipton. After high school in Peru, Edward Cox attended Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.
Teaching and journalism
Edward Cox began his post-scholastic careerCareer
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
as a teacher (similar to his father’s first occupation) in the Peru area’s Miami County
Miami County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 36,082 people, 13,716 households, and 9,806 families residing in the county. The population density was 96 people per square mile . There were 15,299 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
school district. After three years, he resigned his position as an educator to start a career in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, becoming a reporter for the local Miami County Sentinel newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. The newspaper business was another occupation in which Edward's father had also been involved. Edward’s family continued its involvement in politics as Edward’s father, Jabez Cox, won a seat in the Indiana state legislature
Indiana General Assembly
The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch, of the state of Indiana. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the Indiana House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Indiana Senate...
in 1886. Edward Cox started Peru's Daily Herald newspaper in 1887, but it lasted only three months before it was suspended. Cox continued his journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
career in Peru as a reporter until 1891, when he moved to Hartford City, Indiana
Hartford City, Indiana
Hartford City is a city in the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Blackford County. Located in the northeast central portion of the state, the small farming community experienced a 15-year “boom” beginning in the late 1880s...
.
Telegram
In the spring of 1891, young Edward Cox purchased the Telegram, a weekly newspaper in Hartford City, Indiana. The purchase was made with the financial assistance of a second investor. Thus, Cox began a long career as a newspaper publisherPublishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
and editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
. The Telegram's printing facilities were located in the back room of a drugstore, with about 800 square feet (74.3 m²) of space. Initially, Cox used a Washington Hand Press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
to produce his newspaper. The Washington Hand Press was roughly 70-year-old technology, and it took all day for him to print an edition, even with his newspaper's small circulation
Newspaper circulation
A newspaper's circulation is the number of copies it distributes on an average day. Circulation is one of the principal factors used to set advertising rates. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulation, since some newspapers are distributed without cost to the...
. Other related equipment was also crude. This was also a significant year in Cox’s personal life, as he married Eldora “Dora” Sites in September.
In about one year, Cox replaced all of his printing equipment, and began using a cylinder press
Rotary printing press
A rotary printing press is a printing press in which the images to be printed are curved around a cylinder. Printing can be done on large number of substrates, including paper, cardboard, and plastic. Substrates can be sheet feed or unwound on a continuous roll through the press to be printed and...
, which was a more modern piece of equipment. After a total of three years of printing, he upgraded to a press powered by a steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
, and added other equipment that was the latest in newspaper technology
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
. His newspaper equipment was far more advanced than that typical of a city of Hartford City’s size. The advanced equipment enabled him to also operate a printing business. By 1894, the Telegram had about 1,200 subscribers. Hartford City's population ranged from 2,287 in 1890 to 5,912 in 1900, so 1,200 subscribers can be considered very successful. An advertisement
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
in an 1895 Hartford City directory
City directory
A city directory is a listing of residents, streets, businesses, organizations or institutions, giving their location in a city. Antedating telephone directories, they have been in use for centuries....
said the Telegram was Democratic and the leading newspaper of Blackford County. The paper was issued every Wednesday.
Evening News
Because of the success of the Telegram, Cox began Blackford CountyBlackford County, Indiana
Blackford County is located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. The county is named for Judge Isaac Blackford, who was the first speaker of the Indiana General Assembly and a long-time chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court. Created in 1838, Blackford County is divided...
’s first daily newspaper, the Evening News (a.k.a. Hartford City Evening News). The first edition was published on February 5, 1894, and it was distributed free for the first week. Subscriptions were available with delivery to all parts of Hartford City for 10 cents per week. An advertisement in an 1895 city directory described the Evening News as non-political and possessing a “well equipped job office”.
Hartford City News
By 1900, the Evening News was no longer non-political, and was considered the voice of the Democratic Party. Cox became known for his editorials, and the demands of the Evening News’ success caused Cox to discontinue the Telegram in 1914. Eventually, the “Evening” portion of the Evening News name was dropped, and the newspaper became known as the Hartford City News. Because the newspaper was a daily, one source incorrectly calls the newspaper the Hartford City Daily News.In the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
began gaining political power within Hartford City, bringing intolerance toward the city’s Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, and Jewish citizens. Both local newspapers, the Hartford City News and the Times-Gazette, provided strong opposition to the Klan’s philosophy. Cox’s anti-Klan editorials irritated Klan organizer L. J. King enough that he referred to the Hartford City News as “that Catholic rag”. Ironically, Cox was not Catholic. During 1925, Indiana Klan
Indiana Klan
The Indiana Klan was a branch of the Ku Klux Klan, a secret society in the United States that practiced racism and terrorism against minority ethnic and religious groups. The Indiana Klan rose to prominence beginning in the years after World War I when rising levels of eastern and southern European...
leader D. C. Stephenson
D. C. Stephenson
David Curtiss "Steve" Stephenson was an American Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan in the U.S. state of Indiana and 22 other Northern states. He is considered to have been one of the most successful Klan leaders up until his downfall after his conviction for murder...
was convicted for the murder of Madge Oberholtzer
Madge Oberholtzer
Madge Augustine Oberholtzer was an American schoolteacher who worked and lived in Indianapolis. Kidnapped and raped by D.C. Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan, she died of a staph infection from wounds inflicted upon her by Stephenson...
in a Noblesville, Indiana
Noblesville, Indiana
Noblesville is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, located just north of Indianapolis. The population was 51,969 at the 2010 census making it the 14th largest city/town in the state, up from 19th in 2007...
, trial that received national attention. Cox's uncle, Charles E. Cox
Charles E. Cox
Charles E. Cox was an American lawyer and judge who became the 55th justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, serving from 1911 to 1917. Elected as a Democrat in the Fall of 1910, he was Chief Justice by the end of his six-year term...
was one of the prosecutors in the trial. Details of the case caused many Klan members to abandon the organization. By the end of 1926, the Ku Klux Klan lost its power locally and within the state. The Hartford City News continued its journalistic excellence, and became known as “one of the best and most influential daily papers in this section of the state.”
Cox Remarries
Tragedy struck the Cox family in 1898. Edward Cox’s wife Dora died from pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
while visiting Edward’s uncle (Millard Fillmore Cox) in Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. The family had two young daughters, aged five and seven years, at the time. Cox maintained a Hartford City residence on Jefferson Street, an easy walk to his newspaper business located on the same street, and raised his daughters for several years with the assistance of hired help. Cox remarried in 1901.
Married Twice In One Week
Cox, the newsmanJournalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, made the news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
himself when he married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
twice in one week. His bride-to-be was Miss Nellie Victor Tozier, sister of news editor Albert E. Tozier. Although Nellie and Albert Tozier lived in Oregon, their politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
father (Charles T. Tozier
Charles T. Tozier
Charles True Tozier was an American politician in the state of Oregon. A native of Indiana, he moved to Oregon in 1863 and served as the second mayor of the city of Hillsboro and in the Oregon House of Representatives....
) was born in Indiana. Albert Tozier had been president of the National Editorial Association, and it was at the Association's meetings that the couple-to-be met. Thus, the couple-to-be had newspapers, politics, and Indiana in common. The wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
was to be held in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, and Nellie Tozier was considered "one of Oregon's most popular young women." A few days before the wedding, the local county clerk died. Therefore, the couple's marriage license was issued by a deputy clerk. The wedding was held in the First Baptist Church of Portland, on November 18, 1901. Shortly after the wedding, the newlyweds began their journey east to Hartford City, Indiana
Hartford City, Indiana
Hartford City is a city in the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Blackford County. Located in the northeast central portion of the state, the small farming community experienced a 15-year “boom” beginning in the late 1880s...
. A major portion of their trip was via a Northern Pacific
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
train to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Mr. and Mrs. Cox traveled as far as Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
when they discovered that lawyers were debating the validity of all marriage licenses issued by the deputy clerk. An old Oregon law declared that only county clerks could issue marriage licenses, and this meant that the marriage licenses issued by the deputy clerk could be invalid. The couple continued their eastward journey, as most law experts believed their marriage license was legal. As the newly-wedded couple reached St. Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, they received a telegram
Telegraphy
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
from the bride's mother that expressed concerns about the validity of their marriage. Adding to the complexity of the problem, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
law required residency for 30 days before marriage, so a wedding in Indiana could not be performed in the near future. Therefore, the couple wed again, in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, in a ceremony performed by a judge. The bride's sister served as witness. The couple then had two marriage certificates, and they were the subject of news throughout the country. This marriage produced two sons and three daughters. Of Cox’s total of seven children, three daughters and both sons attended college.
The Cox building
In addition to using the latest printing technology, Cox also erected a two-story building used as the newspaper’s office and printing facility. Local (Hartford City) architectArchitect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
P. J. Loney prepared plans for the brick building in 1895. Located at the corner of Jefferson and Franklin Streets, the building's layout was designed especially for the newspaper business. In final form, the building was a two-story, 40 by 120 feet (36.6 m) brick building with offices, an elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
, a loading dock
Loading dock
A loading dock is a recessed bay in a building or facility where trucks are loaded and unloaded. They are commonly found on commercial and industrial buildings, and warehouses in particular....
, and an additional alley
Alley
An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane found in urban areas, often for pedestrians only, which usually runs between or behind buildings. In older cities and towns in Europe, alleys are often what is left of a medieval street network, or a right of way or ancient footpath in an urban setting...
way entrance. The current address of the building is 217 N. Jefferson Street. The “Cox Building” was used by three newspapers continuously into the 1960s: the Telegram, the Hartford City News, (originally known as the Evening News) and later the Hartford City News-Times. Offices were located in the front of the building (Jefferson Street), and a dock was located on the building’s Franklin Street side. The building could also be accessed from the alley
Alley
An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane found in urban areas, often for pedestrians only, which usually runs between or behind buildings. In older cities and towns in Europe, alleys are often what is left of a medieval street network, or a right of way or ancient footpath in an urban setting...
behind the building, and that passageway was partially covered to enable paper to remain dry during loading and unloading in wet weather.
In addition to the newspapers, Cox used his building for his printing business. Both enterprises were part of his company, Edward E. Cox Printer, Incorporated. The modern printing equipment enabled Cox to print color labels and wrappers made of glassine
Glassine
Glassine is a very thin and smooth paper that is air and water resistant. It is translucent unless dyes are added to color it or make it opaque...
and cellophane
Cellophane
Cellophane is a thin, transparent sheet made of regenerated cellulose. Its low permeability to air, oils, greases, bacteria and water makes it useful for food packaging...
. Printing products were shipped all over the United States.
The Cox building still stands today (2009) – over 100 years after its construction. The building is part of Hartford City’s Courthouse Square Historic District
Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District
The Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District is located in Hartford City, Indiana. Hartford City has a population of about 7,000 and is the county seat of Blackford County and the site of the county courthouse...
. The photo herein displays the Cox Building from the Franklin Street dock side. The front (Jefferson Street) entrance is to the left in the photo. Hartford City’s two buildings that are part of the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
are located close by. The back of the First Presbyterian Church
First Presbyterian Church (Hartford City, Indiana)
The First Presbyterian Church of Hartford City is an American church located in Hartford City, Indiana. The edifice is the oldest church building in a small city that at one time was a bustling community with as many as ten glass factories – and over 20 saloons...
is visible on the right side of the photo to the right of the alley, and the Blackford County Courthouse
Blackford County Courthouse
The Blackford County Courthouse is a Registered Historic Place located in the Blackford County, Indiana, county seat of Hartford City. The building stands on a public square in the city's downtown commercial district. Built during the Indiana Gas Boom, most of the construction work on the current...
steeple can be seen at the top of the photo to the left of the Cox Building’s smokestack
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
.
Although the Hartford City News-Times moved out of the Cox Building in the 1960s, the building has been used by other businesses. A large portion of the building was used in the 1970s by a company partly owned by one of Cox’s grandsons. The company was called Phylpat, Incorporated. Instead of printing on paper as Cox had, Phylpat (eventually renamed Cutting Inc.) was involved in cutting paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
to make small rolls of adding machine
Adding machine
An adding machine was a class of mechanical calculator, usually specialized for bookkeeping calculations.In the United States, the earliest adding machines were usually built to read in dollars and cents. Adding machines were ubiquitous office equipment until they were phased out in favor of...
paper. The paper cutting and winding operations were contained within the building, and there was room for inventories of raw materials and finished product. The process used to cut and roll (or wind) paper was patented by Phylpat and one of its engineers in 1976. In more recent years, the building has been used by a small furniture manufacturing company, and one of the offices has been used by an attorney.
Politics and community
Like his father and grandfather, Edward Cox was a strong supporter of the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. His views were typically expressed via editorial
Editorial
An opinion piece is an article, published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about the subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals.-Editorials:...
s in his newspapers, and some editorials were reprinted by other publications. He was Blackford County’s Democratic County Chairman in 1902. In July, 1914, under the administration of President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, Cox was appointed postmaster of Hartford City, and he was reappointed in 1919. (Edward’s grandfather, Aaron Cox, had also been a postmaster.) For eight years, Cox was the representative of the Eleventh Congressional District on the Indiana Democratic state committee. He was also president of the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association in 1927.
Mr. Cox always participated in community affairs and was a member of numerous local organization
Organization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
s. He was one of the organizers of the local Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
Club, and served as its first president. He was a Free Mason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, a member of the Mystic Shrine, and a member of the Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
. He was also a Past Exalted Ruler of the Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
' lodge.
In addition to civic organizations, Cox was a member of the local Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
and one of its founders. He was a director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the Citizens State Bank of Hartford City, and served three terms on the local school board. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was involved with patriotic activities such as the Thrift Savings Stamp campaign and the sale of government war bonds
Liberty bond
A Liberty Bond was a war bond that was sold in the United States to support the allied cause in World War I. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financial securities to many citizens for the first time. The Act of Congress which...
. Mr. Cox was a strong follower
Hoosier Hysteria
Hoosier Hysteria is the state of excitement surrounding basketball in Indiana, or more specifically the Indiana high school basketball tournament. In part, the excitement stemmed from the inclusion of all tournament entrants into the same tournament, where a small town's David might knock off a...
of local sports teams, and attended almost every home game of the local high school basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team. He was president of the Hartford City Gymnasium Holding Company that raised funds
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
to build a new gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
for the school. He was also one of the organizers and founders of the Blackford Golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
Club
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
.
The other Cox
Those familiar with James M. CoxJames M. Cox
James Middleton Cox was the 46th and 48th Governor of Ohio, U.S. Representative from Ohio and Democratic candidate for President of the United States in the election of 1920....
(born in 1870), founder of Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is the successor to the publishing company founded in Dayton, Ohio, United States, by James Middleton Cox, who began with the Dayton Daily News. He was the Democratic candidate for the President of the United States in the election of 1920...
, governor
Governor (United States)
In the United States, the title governor refers to the chief executive of each state or insular territory, not directly subordinate to the federal authorities, but the political and ceremonial head of the state.-Role and powers:...
of Ohio, and Presidential candidate
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, may note some similarities with Edward Everett Cox (born in 1867). Both started as schoolteachers and became involved with newspapers. Both were strong Democrats. Both had family connections with Ohio and were Episcopalians
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
named Cox
Cox (surname)
The surname Cox is of English or Welsh origin, and may have originated independently in several locations in Great Britain, with the variations arriving at a standard spelling only later. An early record of the surname dates from 1556 with the marriage of Alicea Cox at St. Martin in the Fields,...
– suggesting they were related
Kinship
Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin, through either biological, cultural, or historical descent. And descent groups, lineages, etc. are treated in their own subsections....
. However, the two men do not appear to have a common American ancestor, as there are numerous branches of the Cox family that came to America. James Cox had an early-American ancestor that lived in New Jersey, while Edward Cox’s family at the time of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
lived in North Carolina. If the two men are related, the common ancestor lived more than 400 years ago, a distant connection at best. It is probable that they were merely two unrelated men who lived the American Dream
American Dream
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each...
and took similar career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
paths. One achieved on a much smaller scale than the other, but both met success.
Death
On the morning of April 1, 1931, Edward Everett Cox died from a severe heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
suffered the night before. He had been ill for almost a week, but his illness had been kept quiet because it was thought he would recover. The town was surprised by a front page obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
in the Hartford City News that covered most of the page. Cox was considered one of the community’s most well-known citizens, and had yet to reach retirement age at the time of his death. He was renowned not only within the community, but also state-wide in politics. An obituary printed in nearby Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States, Indiana's 13th largest city. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard and Tipton counties....
, described him as “prominent in Democratic state politics”. In addition to his numerous accomplishments, his Hartford City obituary also described the man. It said, “Mr. Cox was a man of energy and a tireless worker. Success crowned nearly each adventure, whether from a business or political angle and he was held in the highest regard and esteem by all who knew him. To his newspaper and his printing business, he devoted much of his time and was beloved and admired by each and everyone of his employees. There were few who were not aided by his hand and direction, and each in turn sought to give to him the best that was available.”